Grant writing - What Funding Bodies expect


Funding bodies offer grants to not for profit groups to help with project funding. The process of applying for the grants can be made easier if you understand what the funding bodies expect from you.

Your grant proposal should begin with a Short Overview. This is where you use as few sentences as possible to present the key elements of your grant proposal. Ensure that in the proposal you address:

• The purpose of your project.

• The expected outcomes of your project. How will you achieve the outcomes?

• How will the success of your project be measured?

• Why is your project important to you and the community?

• Who are you?

An assessment of need tells the funding body why your project is important. It should detail how their funding will respond to a gap in resources, opportunity or knowledge that really to be filled. Your grant application needs to clearly define the need or problem that your project is responding to.

Description of your project or the project goals, objectives, and methodology must answer these questions:

• What are the goals of your project?

• What are your expected outcomes?

• What are the outcomes going to achieve? What measurement will you use?

• How do you know your project will productively meet the need you have identified?

• What will the timeline be for your project?

Defining the impact of your project is important because funding bodies want to see that you have undoubtedly established the accurate benefits of your project, along with how you plan to measure and assess your achievements.

As you are requesting funding, you will need to provide a detailed budget to clarify just what you are asking for and why. Each budget entry should be clearly itemised, as you might need to follow up with a justification statement which explains why each cost, material, and equipment is correct, reasonable, and important for your project.

Some funding bodies may require a cover Letter. Grant proposals that require a cover letter, will be preceded by the cover letter. These serve to personally introduce yourself as the grant seeking individual or organisation. They allow you to establish your character and professionalism while briefly describe your proposed project. You can use the cover letter to convey enthusiasm for the project and appreciation for the funding bodies' consideration of your request. 

Organisational qualifications will be necessary as you are representing a not for profit organisation or group. This will involve devoting a full section to describing the mission, nature, and function of the organisation. This is best placed near the portion of the proposal where you have examined the problem.

You may be required to provide a range of supporting documents and materials at the end of your proposal.  These may be additional records, personnel bios for your organisation’s employees, community endorsements, tax return information, letters of support from allied groups or organisations partnering with you in your project, and so on. This documentation needs to be clearly related to your proposal and may be requested by the funding body.

You may also consider investing in the services of a professional grant writer. Red Tape Busters has a team of experienced grant writers ready to partner with you to write a grant winning application. With sound knowledge of the grant writing process and what funding bodies expect, Red Tape Busters can elevate your grant application to winning status. With grant writer Melbourne, grant writer Sydney and everywhere in between and further, Red Tape Busters are ready to help.

 

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